1. From Goats to Global Culture
Legend has it that coffee was discovered in the 9th century in Ethiopia. A shepherd named Kaldi noticed that his goats became unusually energetic after eating berries from certain bushes. This is how people first paid attention to coffee.
2. The First Coffeehouses
By the 15th century, coffee was already being cultivated in Yemen, and the first coffeehouses appeared in Istanbul (Ottoman Empire). They were called kahvehane, and they were not just places to drink coffee, but also hubs for conversation, games, and even political discussions.
3. Coffee and Bans
At various times, coffee was banned — in the Ottoman Empire, the sultan ordered coffeehouses to be demolished because of the “dangerous conversations” that happened there. In the 17th century in Mecca, coffee was considered harmful to public morals.
4. Coffee Comes to Italy via Venice
Coffee reached Europe through Venetian traders in the 16th–17th centuries. At first, it was sold in pharmacies as a medicinal remedy!
5. The Birth of Espresso
The espresso machine was invented in Italy in 1901. Since then, strong, short coffee has become an iconic symbol of Italian coffee culture.
Coffee Traditions Around the World
🇹🇷 Turkish Coffee — finely ground coffee brewed in a cezve with sugar, often with cardamom. It’s not filtered, so thick grounds settle at the bottom. Turkish coffee is sometimes used for fortune-telling.
🇮🇹 Italian Espresso — a true ritual. Italians drink espresso standing at the bar, usually very quickly. They only drink cappuccino in the morning!
🇸🇦 Arabic Coffee (Qahwa) — in Saudi Arabia, coffee is often made with cardamom and served in small cups with dates. It’s a symbol of hospitality.
🇫🇮 Finnish Coffee (Kaffeost) — Finns sometimes drink coffee with pieces of cheese (leipäjuusto). The cheese is placed in the cup and hot coffee is poured over it.
🇻🇳 Vietnamese Coffee — famous for coffee with sweetened condensed milk (Cà phê sữa đá). There’s also a special treat: egg coffee (Cà phê trứng) — whipped egg yolk mixed with sweetened condensed milk and coffee.
🇬🇷 Greek Frappe — a cold instant coffee with foam, sugar, and milk, popular in the summer. It was invented by accident in 1957 at a fair in Thessaloniki!
🇪🇹 Ethiopian Coffee — in Ethiopia, coffee is prepared during a traditional coffee ceremony that can last an hour or more. The hostess roasts the beans right in front of the guests.
